For several decades, there has been an ever increasing demand for quality underwater connectors. During the 1960s, this demand was pushed by military and commercial oil exploration ventures during what is sometimes known as the "golden age" of manned undersea vehicle research, development, and operations. The market for undersea connectors again experienced growth during the mid-1970s when the United Kingdom and Norway began actively exploiting the vast oil reserves under the North Sea. Today, underwater connectors are still used extensively in ocean related military applications, including submarines and other mobile vehicle applications, in underwater research and exploration activities, in ocean mining, and in offshore oil production.
In the design of underwater connectors, several environmental parameters must be considered. The most serious consideration is of course the exposure to extremely high water pressures, which can reach about 20,000 psi at deep ocean operating depths. These pressures can crush or otherwise deform connectors which are not properly designed to withstand such pressures. High pressure watertight seals must also be provided, as water ingress may lead to short circuiting of any electrical contacts inside the connector. Connector materials in contact with a salt water environment should also be corrosion resistant. Connectors must thus be designed to withstand the extreme external pressures, and also provide a sufficient seal to prevent water ingress.
In addition to the above-described characteristics, the development of more sophisticated underwater electrical apparatus has created a need for connectors of small size and high contact density that has not been adequately filled prior to the present invention. As connectors get smaller, many design difficulties arise. Thinner material cannot withstand as high a pressure. Small components of such connectors become more difficult to manipulate, increasing the incidence of connector and wiring damage during connector assembly and use. More complex moving parts such as oil valves, which are often desirable components of underwater connectors, may not fit in a connector with a small cross-section.
Although the undersea connector industry has made great strides from the experience in undersea exploration during the latter half of the 20th century, some applications continue to demand smaller and smaller connectors. However, because of the various structural impediments to reducing connector sizes, the industry has been slow to advance, and has continued to utilize connectors which are larger than is desirable. Accordingly, there is a need for a miniature undersea electrical connector able to withstand high pressures, which is easy to assemble and use, and which can incorporate a high density of electrical contacts.